«L.I. Medved’s Research Center of Preventive Toxicology, Food and Chemical Safety, Ministry of Health, Ukraine (State Enterprise)», Kyiv, Ukraine

ABSTRACT. The article is devoted to the topical issues of the world scientific-practical cooperation in management of consequences of chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear (CBRN) threats. Materials of the World Congress on CBRN threats consequence management (Croatia, Cavtat, 2–4 September 2018) were summarised. World tendencies and international approaches to the methodology and system of detection, identification of chemical, biological, radiation substances; system of individual and collective protection and deactivation; approaches to the assessment of possible consequences and medical protection against CBRN threats were described. Special role of international communications, collaborative trainings and workshops for the development of modern national scientific-practical and educational programs in the field of CBRN safety is emphasized.

Key Words: chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear safety, preventive toxicology.

A series of CBRN safety conferences began in 1998 when Croatia hosted its first conference on Industry – I, Eco-Terrorism, Chemical and Biological Warfare without Chemical and Biological Weapons (CBMTS). The first congress initiated an international initiative to consider the role and status of industrial enterprises in the settings of modern military and terrorist threats. The result of these developments was the amendment to paragraph 8 of article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the adoption of a statement on the prohibition on chemical weapons (OPCW) to protect industrial enterprises.

For the same reason, OPCW Secretariat has decided to appoint Croatia as the host of the first OPCW training ASSISTEX-1, demonstrating the course of action that the member country should take in the event of a military or terrorist attack using chemical weapons. The event was jointly organized by the Croatian Government and held in Zadar on September 10–14, 2002. The above training provided valuable information directly for Croatia and its Armed Forces, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health and other services that counter terrorism, and also protect and save the population from threats.

From the very first symposium (it was only defined as a symposium, and all the subsequent ones had the status of World Congresses), and until the last one held in 2013, the OPCW has always held a number of workshops that preceded the congress.

In 2007, next Croatian congress was convened for the regional celebration of the tenth anniversary of the entry of the Chemical Weapons Convention into force. Based on the conclusions and recommendations of the series of congresses in Croatia, many of the existing definitions have been changed or revised, for example, the definition of weapons of mass destruction. Standard operating procedures and those related to terrorism have been revised in many countries — some countries, in particular, the US, have even made changes to the Federal Penal Code.

In 2013, CBMTS industrial series was renamed to CBRNe — Applied Science and Consequence Management World Congress — CSCM [1, 2].

According to the new CSCM title, in Croatia in 2010 and in Georgia in 2016, world congresses were held, which have continued the tradition of two decades of Congresses under the name of CBMTS series. Currently, more than 2,500 international scientific articles have been published in the framework of the events that promote the development of knowledge in the field of CBRN culture.

Today, the CSCM Congress is a powerful tool for international integration and practical interaction on the management of the consequences of chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear threats (hereinafter — CSCM Congress), which is held every two years and involves the participation of approximately 2,000 leading scientists and experts in the field of medicine, toxicology, biochemistry, physics and biotechnology, as well as military personnel from nearly 50 countries involved in scientific research in the field of preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Traditional topics are as follows: approaches, methodologies and systems for detection, identification of substances associated with CBRN threats; personal and collective protection, decontamination; assessment of possible consequences and medical treatment in case of threat and/or evolution of threat of CBRN.

The organization of the CSCM Congress is currently being conducted by the US-based international non-profit structure of CSCM. This non-profit organization carries out educational activities in a global society by raising awareness of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear science; provision of scientific information; promotion of education and encouragement of members of the global scientific community to observe global standards for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; further development of science in this direction.

In 2018, an event that significantly expanded the expertise of professionals in the management of the consequences of CBRN threats in NATO countries has been performed. The training was held in Cavtat, Croatia on September 2–6, 2018.

The following topics were included in the agenda of the CSCM Congress: approaches, methodologies and systems for detection, identification of chemical, biological, radiation substances, personal and collective protection systems, decontamination, assessment of possible consequences and medical care in case of threat and/or occurrence of chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear threats. Participants worked in different sections. The biological session was devoted to the analysis of data on new infectious diseases and response measures. Practical training was conducted on the Ebola disease model, where new methods of decontamination of biological material and medical systems were considered, as well as personal protective equipment was demonstrated.

The next session was devoted to the work of the emergency response team under CBRN threats. Particular attention was given to information on the current CBRN threats in the world, as well as the characteristics of modern systems, measures and equipment to counter current threats. One-day field training was conducted (Fig. 1.2).

Figure 1. CBRN detached unit at field training (CSCM Congress, Croatia, Cavtat, September 2018 Illustration: N. V. Kurdil)

Figure 2. CBRN mobile laboratory (CSCM Congress, Croatia, Cavtat, September 2018 Illustration: N. V. Kurdil)

The CBRN regional session “South-East Europe” was intended to inform about regional features of the CBRN threat counteraction system. Opportunities and competencies of the healthcare sector and emergency services in terms of CBRN threat counteraction (based on the experience of Croatia) were disclosed; one-day field training was conducted, during which the autonomous multifunctional identification systems of CBRN threats were demonstrated (Fig. 3,4,5,6).

Figure 3. Autonomous radiation control device (CSCM Congress, Croatia, Cavtat, September 2018 Illustration: N. V. Kurdil)

Figure 4. Decontamination of the vehicle Practical training (CSCM Congress, Croatia, Cavtat, September 2018 Illustration: N. V. Kurdil)

Figure 5. Transportation multifunctional carriers. Practical training (CSCM Congress, Croatia, Cavtat, September 2018 Illustration: N. V. Kurdil)

Figure 6. Mobile crane. Practical training (CSCM Congress, Croatia, Cavtat, September 2018 Illustration: N. V. Kurdil)

The chemical session was devoted to the analysis of the chemical manufacturing sector, chemical market, global and regional aspects of social and security responsibility of the business. Some issues concerned civil-military strategies, tactics, methodologies, technologies and resources of dual-use (technologies and chemicals). Initiatives to reduce infrastructure, territorial, social and economic risks in the event of a crisis in the Black Sea region (emergencies, catastrophes and terrorism) were discussed.

Certain reports of the experts from Denmark, Canada, and the US were devoted to human health risks (arsenic exposure, food safety) and information on current threats to food safety. International initiatives and the role of individual countries in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction were discussed. Provided factual data on the consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction in modern wars and armed conflicts (Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria) eloquently suggested the urgency of the discussed issues.

An important set of issues related to the management of consequences was considered on an example of the work of Idaho National Laboratory, USA (INL) [3]. Experts of the laboratory presented the work of the radiation detached unit (educational film), threat response plans, modern aspects of radiation expertise.

There was an active and interesting discussion of the prospects for the introduction of new technologies for monitoring and managing the consequences of CBRN threats, namely:

– robotic means of chemical and radiation reconnaissance, including unmanned aerial vehicles;

– remote (infrared) systems of chemical control, allowing to detect simultaneously dozens of types of chemicals in different phases using the principle of spectroradiometry; mobile small, high-speed chemical reconnaissance devices using such physicochemical methods of analysis as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, atomic-adsorption mass spectrometry and others;

– mobile laboratory complexes, based on new technological solutions that provide for the group indication of hazardous chemicals with the following quantitative and qualitative identification and automatic processing of results using software programs;

– automated systems for simulation of chemical and radiation conditions and application of stimulation training methods (in the settings of virtual reality) of the specialists of the units involved in the elimination of emergency situations;

– new effective technologies of sanitary processing of the population, decontamination of buildings and constructions, special processing of machinery and territories;

– modern personal protection means, based on the principle of protecting certain groups of the population from specific types of danger (including through the introduction of distance learning programs);

– new selective antidotes and radioprotectors;

– programs for informing and increasing the preparedness of the population in the field of chemical and radiation protection through the Internet, availability of information about the level of radiation, chemical and biological protection of the population;

– special education programs and thematic improvement programs for different experts.

Undoubtedly, for CSCM Congress participants, this is a great school for understanding and implementing the current CBRN safety concept and the role of science in this direction. The current vision of CBRN safety should focus on increasing global safety by improving attitudes and behavioural change in human. A proper level of science is impossible without proper ethics, and if ethics involves reducing the harmful influence, safety should be its part. Consequently, safety measures should be an integral part of high-level science.

Today, the new modern safety culture is the basis for the inclusion of a new group of entities in the management of CBRN threats, actively involving members of civil society (scientists, teachers, private enterprises), which will allow using their individual and collective self-government capabilities and risk management methods.

REFERENCES

1. Scientific Overview of CBRN. — URL: https://www.datasci.com/solutions/cbrn-defense. (Last access: 17.04.2019).

2. CBRNe Applied Science and Consequence Management World Congress. — URL: http://www.cscm-congress.org. (Last access: 17.05.2019).

3. Idaho National Laboratory. — URL: https://inl.gov. (Last access: 17.05.2019).

Надійшла до редакції 20.05.2019 р.